UNIMA Chancellor College Department of French

UNIMA Chancellor College Department of French;  The Department of French was established as one of the first language courses at the University of Malawi in 1964, and teaching began in 1965. The justification for the inclusion of French in an English-speaking country was linked to the values of the Organisation of African Unity; in 1963, the O.A.U had recommended that in order to promote unity amongst Africans, Francophone countries should include English in their curriculum, and Anglophone-countries would do the same for French.

GRADUATES

Since 1965, the Department has produced over 2000 graduates in French, who have gone into both the public and private sector. It has provided teachers at both secondary and tertiary level. Other graduates have gone on to become diplomats, translators and to also work in the corporate world.

FOCUS

At present, courses in the department focus on two areas of specialisation:

• Literature
• Linguistics.

STUDENTS SPECIALIZATION

Students start specialising in their Third Year, which is also when they are taught skills connected to Research Methods. Cognizant of the role played by language in development, the Department has a course, Translation, which is compulsory for students majoring in Literature or Linguistics.